David Gergen: Clinton’s Apology Was Not ‘Timely’ or from the ‘Heart’

COOPER: “Let's look deeper with our panel tonight joining me now CNN Political Analyst David Gergen and Gloria Borger. David, do you take this apology from Former Secretary Clinton at face value given that it came on the same day that, you know, a strategic makeover for her campaign was reported?” GERGEN: “Anderson, I think she deserves credit for taking responsibility -- personal responsibility for the e-mails and stepping up to it finally. It took a long time. But, you know, for apologies to be effective, they need to be timely and they need to come from the heart. And this apology wasn't -- didn't meet one of those criteria. You know, it took a long, long time to get there. They have a begrudging quality. But especially the second point you just mentioned, I just can't believe that her team did what they did to her and put out in the newspapers, you know, they're coming out, they're going to unveil the new Hillary.” COOPER: “Right.” GERGEN: “You know, we reenter -- we've had -- that does not work. Here's the new authenticity. COOPER: Right. There's nothing worse than that, I mean, it totally the fights against. And, you know, David Axelrod who, you know, tweeted out, you know, just do it. Don't talk about being authentic, just be authentic.”

GERGEN: “Yeah. The political malpractice in my judgment would do that to her.” COOPER: “Political malpractice? And you know David, I mean, the fact that the same day she apologized for using the private server to ABC News, she also gave an interview to Ellen in which she was said she was sorry not for using the private server but for all the confusion that's ensued which, I mean it's -- I don't know if it's splitting hairs, but it is kind of a non-apology apology.” GERGEN: “Yeah, that's totally right, it is. And I think that there was people took offense at the notion, ‘I'm sorry for the confusion.’ I'm sorry -- you know, but look the bottom line, I think this is the first step. I think and I, you know, do think she deserves credit for doing it, but she's got a long we to go to win back the trust. And can she do it? Yes, but will they please stop trying to think in the back room how to reinvent her and just let her and to stop fiddling with her public persona. Let her be herself. This is a year when people crave authenticity.”